Artificial limb.



No. 644,802. Patented Mal 6, I900.

L. E. I-IULLINGEB & R. P. GUBTS. I

ARTIFICIAL LIMB.

(Application filed June 10, 1898.) (No Model.)

.7 4 6 5 7 I F n 1 0 I T x M I z Q WM; I I a"; 4, I B 8 WW rrs STATESATENT OFFICE.

IJYNUS E. HULLINGER AND ROBERT P. OURTS, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGN- ORSTO THE OOLUMBU S PIIARMAOAL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ARTIFICIAL LIMB:

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No., 644,802, dated March6, 1900. Application filed June 10, 1898. $crial No. 683,148. (Nomodel.)

To CI/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it kn own that we, LYNUS E. H LLINGER and ROBERT P. OURTs, citizensof the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklinand State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inArtificial Limbs, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to the improvement of artificial limbs, and hasparticular relation to the improvement of the parts forming the jointbetween the foot and leg.

The objects of our invention are to provide an improved foot and legjoint of superior construction and arrangement of parts, to so constructsaid joint as to admit of a desirable and natural lateral andbackward-and-forward movement of the foot, and to produceotherimprovements in details of construction and arrangement of parts,which will be more fully pointed out hereinafter. These objects Weaccomplish in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a central vertical section of a foot and portion of aleg, showing our improved jointed connection of the same. Fig. 2 is atransverse section through a portion of the foot and leg, taken on linea; w of Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the anklejointball, which we employ in the manner hereinafter described.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

1 represents the lower portion of an artificial leg, and 2 representsthe foot. As is usual in artificial limbs, the lower andsubstantially-solid end portion of the leg is adapted to be received bya socket or recess in the upper side or ankle portion of the foot.Within this ankle-recess we provide aball-receiving socket or concavity3, the latter having leading therefrom, in the direction of the lengthof the foot and on opposite sides of said ball-socket, socket-arms orbearing-grooves 4. The ball-socket 3 is, as indicated in the draw ings,of such form as to be adapted to receive a half ball or sphere. 5represents yielding bearing projections, of rubber or similar material,which are arranged on those sides of the ball-socket 3 which are atright angles with the bearing-grooves 4;.

Leading downward through the body of the foot from the bottom of thesocket 3 is an opening or passage 6, the lower end of which communicateswith a recess or socket 7 on the under side of the foot. In rear of thefoot ball-socket 3 we provide the body of the foot with a transverseyielding bearing-block, of rubber or similar material, as indicated at8, this bearing-block being adapted to be retained in contact with theinclined under side and rear portion of the solid lower end of the leg.

In the lower end of the leg 1 we form a ballsocket 9,which, inconjunction with the socket 3, is adapted to form a completesphere-receiving socket. I

10 represents a bolt hole or passage which extends from the upper andcentral portion of the foot-socket 9 through the solid lower end portionof the leg, as indicated. As indicated at 9, the leg-socket 9 hasextending laterally therefrom trunnion-receiving grooves which, althoughinverted, correspond in form with the grooves 4 of the foot.

11 represents our improved ankle-joint ball, which, as shown partiallyin section and partially in elevation in Fig. 1 and as shown inelevation in Fig. 3, is in the form of a hollow ball,whicl1 ispreferably constructed of metal, although other suitable material may beemployed. In producing the ball we form the same with oppositely-locatedupper and under side openings 11*. The joint-ball thus employed isprovided at opposite sides on its 8 5 periphery with outwardlyprojecting halfround trunnions or bearing-arms 12. As indicated in thedrawings, the curved or rounded surfaces of these trunnions 12 are ontheir lower sides. As indicated at 13, we also em- 0 ploy trunnions orbearing-arn1s,which project from said ball-periphery atoppositely-located points and in directions at rightangles with thetrunnions 12, these trunnions 13 having their upper sides rounded.

As indicated more clearly in Fig. l of the drawings, the lower portionof the ball-body 11 is designed to rest or bear within the footsocket 3,while the rounded under sides of the trunnions 12 bear Within theoppositely-located grooves or recesses 4:. When the leg is in its placeon the foot, the upper socket 9 re- 'c-eives the upper portion of-theball 11, while the rounded upper sides of the trunnions 13 are receivedby the grooves 9. The parts are retained in the above-described positionthrough the medium of bolts or rods 14 and 15, which extend,respectively, through the bolt-holes and 6, the upper rod 14 having itsupper end provided with a nut and the lower end of the lower rod 15having a th umbnut 16 thereon. The inner ends of the rods 14 and 15 are,as indicated at 17, hooked together or otherwise j oi ntedly connectedwithin the central portion of the ball 11.

In addition to the above-described connection of the foot and leg weemploy the usual ankle and heel cords 1S and 19, which have their upperends secured within the leg-body 1 and which have their lower endssuitably secured in the lower portion of the foot-body.

From the construction and arrangement of parts above described it isobvious that in the usual forward-and-backward joint movement of the legthe laterally-projecting trunnions 13 will serve as a bearing for theleg, while a lateral movement of the ankle portion of the foot will befacilitated through the bearing of the trunnions 12 within thefoot-grooves at. In the forward-and-backward and lateral movements it isobvious that the upper and lower sides of the ball-body wi 11 form,respectively, bearings for the leg and foot which will admit of saidmovements with a desirable degree of freedom. It will also be observedthat the flattened under sides of the trunnions 12 bear upon theyielding cushions 5, which will serve to regulate or limit said rockingor lateral movement and prevent the jar which otherwise might beoccasioned by the sudden stoppage of the movementof the foot or leg.

From the construction and operation described it will be seen that asimple, reliable, and effective ankle-joint is formed in which acomparatively easy and natural backwardand'forward and lateral movementof the foot and leg is attained and which will greatly add to thecomfort and convenience of the wearer.

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Ih an artificial-limb joint the combination with the foot and legbody, of a ball bearing partly within said foot-body and partly withinsaid leg-bod y, bolts 14; and 15 extending respectively from said footand leg body, said bolts having a loop connection with each other withinthe center of said ball, substantially as and for the purpose Specified.

2. In an artificial-limb joint, the combination with the foot and legbody, said foot body having a partial ball-socket and trunnion-socketstherein and said leg-body having a partial ball-socket andtrunnion-sockets extending at right angles with the trunnionsockets ofthe foot-body,of ahollow ball adapted to bear partially within saidfoot-socket and partially within said leg-socket and havingoppositely-located trunnions adapted to bear in said foottrunnion-sockets and oppositely-located trunnions adapted to bear insaid leg trunnion-sockets and foot and leg rods jointedly connectedwithin said ball, substan tially as and for the purpose specified.

LYN US E. I-IULLINGER. ROBERT P. CURTS. In presence of- O. G. SHEPHERD,W. L. Monnow.

